Process of softening fibrous sheets



UNITED STATES PATENT Brien.

JOHN C. MOLAUCHLIN, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS OF SOFTENING FIBROUS SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,789, dated January 2, 1894.

Application filed October 12, 1891. Serial No. 408,522. (Specimens) Patented in Canada July 21, 1890, No. 34,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. McLAUoHLIN, of Port Huron, St. Clair county, in the State of Michigan, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Imitation.

Dressed Chamois and Buckskin from Paper- Pulp in Sheets, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent of Canada, No. 84,7 51, granted July 21, 1890;), and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of my invention is to produce a fabric composed of fiber matted and formed into sheets but having superior softness and flexibility an d a surface free from abrasion or disintegration of the fiber, and closely rescinbling chamois or buck skin.

My invention consists in an improved process of making such fabrics.

I am well aware that sheets composed of matted fiber have heretofore been made pliable by rubbing or crushing between knobbed rollers, such sheets or fabrics being designed to be used in the place of textile fabrics, and I am aware that my invention is limited to improvements in this art.

I have discovered that wood fiber, treated by the sulphite or chemical process is peculiarly fitted, by reason of its softness, to be used in a fabric designed as a substitute for cloth and requiring the softness and flexibility of that fabric. The objections found to exist in fabrics thus made out of this kind of fiber, byany of the methods of manufacture heretofore known to me, I have found to be these: that the sheets made of such fiber, will, when rubbed to reduce the stiffness of the sheets, abrade upon the surface and show a fibrous appearance and lose'in large measure the strength as well as smooth or solid surface. If, further, the sheet of fiber be rendered flexible by pounding or crushing in a dry condition the wood fibers will break, and the fabric is thus weakened and its appear ance also impaired. If it be made flexible by passing between knobbed or fluted rollers, the fabric is stretched and pulled in places, and thus the fibers are broken and both the strength and the appearance in this way also are impaired. I have discovered that if these sheets of Wood fiber, made of proper thickness to suit the purpose of blankets, linings and the like, for which such sheets have been heretofore designed or used, be subjected to pounding, in a dampened condition, the sof-' tening may be effected without rupture of the fiber, or abrasion of the surface. Therefore in carrying out my invention I use sheets made of wood fiber, preferably what is known as sulphite or chemical fiber. These sheets I moisten with a thin solution of gelatine using preferably one part of the gelatine to twenty parts of water. When the sheets have been evenly and thoroughly moistened with this solution, I subject them in a crumpled condition and with proper changes of position to pounding by any convenient form of pounder, until the sheets are thoroughly softened. I then smooth the sheets preferably by passing them between rollers and dry them. The smoothing and drying may be effected at the same time, byusing heated rollers or surfaces. When so made the sheets retain the unbroken and unabraded surface, and are flexible and soft, resembling chamois or dressed buck skin.

The wood fibers, which if dry would break and disintegrate under the pounding, readily bend when moist and retain their integrity. The small percentage of gelatine also materially serves to promote this action, but 1 do not limit myself to this ingredient.

I claim 1. The process herein described of reducing fibrous sheets to a soft and pliable condition, the same consisting in first moistening and then pounding said sheets while in a moist condition, substantially as described.

2. The process herein described of reducing fibrous sheets to a soft and pliable condition, the same consisting in first moistening the sheets with a solution of gelatine and then pounding said sheets while in a moist condition.

' JOHN C. MOLAUCHLIN. Vi t n esses:

WILL. P. MOFEAT, FRED. J. SEARS. 

